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plant life, for instance, that it must be to their interest to know. tainly an advantage to know how different woods grow, and this is one of the subjects that is intimately connected with plant life, and is destined to make them satisfied with their calling. All plant life springs from a single cell, and when once organized, or developed, has within itself all the element of its own growth and reproduction. Some of the facts and stories of this growth are as interesting as the "Arabian Nights."

When a tree increases in diameter, its cells grow in every outward direction, and the tree thus avoids cracking. Some, like the beech, grow to the age of fifty or one hundred years, and are as smooth as ever. Others crack at four or five years of age, and sassafras often at three years. Chestnut is twenty-five years old before the bark cracks. Bark-cracking does not result from expansion, as cell-growth provides for this, but from the growth of destructive tuber cells. Each tree has its own period for the development of these cells, and its own peculiar manner of working, and hence no two trees cracked their old bark alike. Bark-cracking was a beautiful study. There are so many different points of plant life, that it is hard to decide which of its phases to speak of first.

The effects of pruning may be considered. When we see a hedge which is trimmed annually to four or five feet, its main stems are small, no larger than the wrist, while the one just opposite, which is not trimmed, shows a much more vigorous growth and much larger branches; main stems perhaps as large as one's leg. Now, branches increase in proportion to their ability to get food, and those plants having a small proportion of leaves have a correspondingly small growth of stem. We cut off the leaves and the stem does not increase in girth, because cutting off the leaf surface lessens the supply of food. But pruning does seem to invigorate, and we often wonder why stems seem to grow so strongly after pruning. But this momentary splurge of growth is from the food stored up in the decapitated trunk. That the pruning is a final injury is seen in the street trees which are cut back to mere stubs. They are not near so vigorous after a brief period of years as those not trimmed, and are generally first to die. Trees and plants must breathe and feed through their foliage, and in some instances all the elements of growth are drawn from the air. The tree orchids or epiphyte family are of this kind, and although attaching themselves to the bark or branches of trees, are not supposed to draw any sustenance from them whatever. There is another interesting class of plants which are said to be carniverous. In some, insects are caught and destroyed, and it has even been found that some will consume beefsteak by absorbing or sucking it perfectly dry. We call them carniverous, but there is nothing remarkable in this, except the fact that some plants absorb nitrogen more readily through the leaves than others. It is among the most interesting of modern discoveries, that leaves as well as roots absorb nitrogen.

Another peculiarity of plant life, and which distinguishes them from the higher forms of animal life, is the ability of reproducing itself by cuttings or shoots. If we take off a cutting and put in the ground, it becomes as truly a new individual, as a chicken raised from an egg. Almost all plants can increase themselves by buds or shoots. Such being the fact, we might wonder why seeds are formed or what is their mission in plant life. Individual good is not subserved by seed-bearing, but the union of two distinct cells in one insures variety, which is ever a leading object in nature. In the higher animals, progeny is never the same in its lineaments and features as its parent. It is necessary that there should be this much variety or we could not distinguish each other. We can thus see how wise this provision

in nature which provides through seed the great factor in variation. This subject might be continued, but fearing I have already detained you too long, I will conclude.

Mr. SATTERTHWAIT took exception to one remark made by Mr. Mechan, and that was his reference to the discussion of the question, "Should framers' sons be educated?" If reported as Mr. Meehan, it was wrong. It is because education don't educate that there is such a disposition to leave the farm.

Mr. F. F. MERCERON, Catawissa, read the following essay:

STRAWBERRY CULTURE-ITS DRAWBACKS.

The subject of strawberry growing has been so thoroughly ventilated, and pictured off lately, there seems to be little new to be said about the matter, and I am afraid what little I can say might be more intelligently handled by some more expert quill driver than myself. Few persons who sit down to their strawberries and cream, at their tea-table, are aware of the amount of labor required to produce this luscious fruit in perfection, nor the trials and vexations the grower has to contend with in fighting the numerous insects that destroy the plants, to say nothing of late spring frosts and drought.

First comes the white-grubber, which eats off all the root just below the surface of the ground, of course killing the plant entirely. If you should happen along about the time he has finished his breakfast, you may probably find him, without much trouble, but if you are a day too late, he is off to "fresh fields and pastures new," and often destroys half a dozen or more plants, before you catch him-(and you don't always catch him either.)

As an example of the terrible destruction of these pests, I will mention the case of a neighbor who, in the fall of 1878 and spring of 1879, planted some eight acres of Sharpless seedling, expecting to realize a handsome sum from his fruit next June, but the grubbers commenced their ravages, and destroyed nearly one third of his plants, and there is no telling how many more they may ruin before the fruit is fit to pick.

The next pest on the list, that we have to contend with in Catawissa, is the ants. So destructive are they to the strawberry plants that some of our growers are discouraged, and think of abandoning the business. They honey-comb the ground under the plants, eat off the fine roots, and as fast as new ones form they meet the same fate. The plants grow smaller by degrees and beautifully less, and they never seem to recover their vitality, unless we have plenty of rain-fall. If you allow the weeds to grow among the plants it will save the strawberry plants to some extent, as the ants will work among the roots of weeds as well. But to raise large and choice fruit, which we all aim at in Catawissa, the ground must be kept clean of weeds and runners. But I must not dwell too long on the ant question, as I know my friend Sharpless is anxious to ventilate that subject, as he has suffered from their depredations more than any one in Catawissa. tried to kill them with kindness, by feeding them with white sugar. I guess he got all in his vicinity to visit him.

He even
Well,

I had intended that the coming season's crop of strawberries should be my last, excepting to grow enough for my own family. So last spring I planted five thousand hills of Sharpless, in three different plats, and to see if I could not, with extra care and attention, make them produce five thousand quarts of fruit, but "man proposes," &c. Plat No. 1, (fifteen hundred plants,) with the exception of two hundred of them, are as fine as I could wish, with stools twelve to eighteen inches across; and, I think, the patch will pick one thousand quarts of fine berries, if the season is propitious.

Plat No. 2 (eighteen hundred plants) looked fine until the last of June, when "ye uncles and ye cousins and ye ants" commenced operations, and the patch is ruined, and I would be willing to take fifty dollars for the product of plat No. 2. Plat No. 3 was planted in the fall of 1878, and last June made a fine show of fruit, and the plants were the admiration of all who saw them. Before the fruit was all gathered, they were attacked by myriads of small white insects, resembling the common grape thrip, only about one third the size, say one sixteenth of an inch long. They keep on the under side of leaves that are nearest the ground. They soon become black, and dry up, and the ground soon gets foul, as if soot had been thrown there. I had to go over them at least once a fortnight, and pull off the dead leaves, and as fast as I pulled them off, they attacked those that were left. By the middle of July there were millions of them, and the plants are not as good as they were on the 1st of last May. Before the winter was over, you could see some of them on strawberry fields, a mile away, and if they are not destroyed by the frosts of winter, we may look for serious trouble next season.

Mr. FRETZ. Had trouble with the same insect referred to by Mr. Merceron, and applied hickory ashes with success.

Mr. SHARPLESS. The insect did not attack his plants, but was much troubled with ants. Kept them down with sugar and hot water. The grub was also bad, but had a dry season, when it is generally more destructive. My ground is a sandy loam, and we have more trouble in that kind of soil than in gravel.

Mr. MILLER. Last season was an unusually bad one for ants, owing to dry weather. Applied an effusion of tansy, which drove them away. Lime water is also a remedy.

Mr. SATTERTHWAIT asked how Sharpless did last year.

Mr. MERCERON. It is still the best variety, by all reports, from Maine to California. It yields more than Cumberland or Captain Jack, and is one of the best varieties for forcing. It roots deeply into the soil, and holds its foliage better than any other variety. The original plant, which grew in 1872, is still alive, though not so vigorous as it was several years ago. Mr. Sharpless is not positive what it is a seedling of, as he had Wilson, Downing, and Jucunda, all around it. Captain Jack sets too much fruit, and a large proportion of it never comes to perfection.

Mr. BRINTON. We have heard several remedies for ants, but none for grub worms. How will salt do?

Mr. MERCERON. Thought salt would kill the plant.

Mr. SATTERTHWAIT. Finds Sharpless a good grower, but not better than a number of other varieties. Finds Cumberland and Monarch of the West equally strong growers.

Mr. MILLER. Stated that the grub thrives in weeds and grass, and finds cultivation a remedy. The grub is the larva of the May bug, and is said to require three years to mature.

Mr. SPROUT. Has cultivated strawberries for about twenty years, from one to five acres chiefly for the Williamsport and Baltimore markets. Has had experience generally with the Wilson, and thus far has had nothing equal to it. Have prospect for a fine crop the coming season, and get best returns by mulching, usually mulches with common wheat straw, machine threshed. Finds hill culture more profitable than matted row.

Mr. MERCERON. Shipped Sharpless to Philadelphia last season in much finer condition than Wilson. Got twenty-five quarts and all expenses paid. They sold in Philadelphia at fifty cents per quart, and in Reading at forty

cents.

Mr. HOOPES. By reference to the reports of this Society some twenty years ago, I find the name of one who took a lively interest in its deliberations, and who is now with us, after an absence of many years. I nominate Mr. John Rutter as an honorary member of this Society.

Mr. RUTTER. Thought it an over appreciation on the part of the Society. Was present at its organization, but growing old, he found many more active members to take his place.

The motion was unanimously agreed to.

ARE BIRDS REALLY THE FRUIT GROWER'S FRIEND?

Was next taken up for discussion.

Mr. MERCERON. The worst pest we have is the robin. Considers them a nuisance. He can kill more caterpillars in ten minutes than all the robins in Columbia county in a week. There are some sparrows in Catawissa, but they never trouble him.

Mr. SHARPLESS. For two years the sparrows have taken the buds off my Kilmarnock willow, and have noticed them also, at the same work, on plum trees.

Judge STITZEL. At Reading we are also realizing the mistake of having them about.

Mr. SPROUT. Is a friend of the robin, and has concluded to let them live. Old birds never touch strawberries, but go for worms. It is young birds that destroy berries.

Mr. MILLER. Thinks it a mistaken idea that sparrows drive away other birds. Since their introduction in Philadelphia, we have more wrens and blue birds than ever before.

Mr. MEEHAN. Agreed with Mr. Miller, that sparrows do not drive other birds away. This bird question seems a very mixed one. On one hand they destroy all a man's cherries, and he is not their friend; but, on the whole, they are not an evil, because there are months that we have no fruit, during which time they destroy a great number of insects. In a large orchard or fruit garden it would probably pay to hire boys to keep them away during the ripening season.

Judge STITZEL. Is a friend of birds, excepting the sparrow, and does not allow them to be destroyed. Is satisfied that sparrows drive other birds

away.

Mr. SATTERTHWAIT. Has plenty of sparrows, and never saw that they did any harm. Hoped this Society would make no mistake in this matter. If the idea goes abroad that birds are injurious and do no good, laws for their protection will soon be repealed. Have always thought that birds are the fruit grower's salvation, and that we could not do without them. They destroy a few cherries and strawberries, but we lose sight of the fact that they destroy a great many insects.

Mr. SPROUT. Is a friend of the robin, and has concluded to let them live. Old birds never touch strawberries but go for worms, while young birds eat the berries. Pheasants are very destructive to trees. Some trees have every bud stripped off.

Mr. HOOPES. Let us see where we stand. Mr. Merceron kills all the robins, Mr. Sprout all the pheasants, and Judge Stitzel all the sparrows. Have never seen the green worm in the city since the sparrow has been introduced. In England, we see them by millions, and they are considered useful.

Mr. MEEHAN. There is no question that sparrows eradicate those insects. Mr. SATTERTHWAIT. Never knew sparrows to destroy fruit.

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